Camera film box



J. W. M CUTCHEON CAMERA FILM BOX Filed Oct. 5, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR .joH/v MMcCurcwsou BY l fl I ATTORNEYS 19464 J. w. MCCUTCHEON2,409,949

CAMERA FILM BOX Filed 001;. 3', 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fire. 61

/5 INVENTOR JOHN M 4406070150 BY g I ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 22, 1946UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAMERA FILM BOX John W. McCutcheon, Bronx53, N. Y. Application October 3, 1945, SerialNo. 620,059

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in cam era film boxes.

One of the important features of the invention resides in a film box forassociation with a camera for receiving the exposed portions of the filmto enable the development and printing of the exposed portions of a filmwhile the unexposed portion remains in the camera.

Another feature of the invention is to provide an exposed light-prooffilm depository for cameras in which the exposed portion of the film maybe severed by cutting from the unexposed portion of the film, and thedepository separated from the camera without light entering thedepository.

A further feature of the invention is to provide a camera film box whichcannot be removed from its association with a camera unless the filmstrip is severed, thus preventing light from striking any portion of theexposed film.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a light-proofcamera box for exposed portions of camera film in which an empty box maybe substituted for a filled box to facilitate rapid examination ofpictures taken by the camera without encountering loading difiicultiesand uneconomical waste of unexposed film.

Other novel features of the invention will become apparent as thefollowing specification is read in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the camerafilm box in position of use,

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line2-2 of Figure 1, the dotted lines indicating the position of the partswhen the door is open and the film box is about to be removed from itscabinet.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 ofFigure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail vertical sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view on the line 5-5 ofFigure 3.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 with the cutter member inreleased position.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing the film box in apartially withdrawn position.

The camera film box in its entirety is designated A and whereas it isadaptable for use with various camera apparatus, the same is shown in mycopending application, Serial No. 620,058, filed Oct. 3, 1945, relatingto an apparatus for automatically photographically recording the pictureof a vehicle and its speed of travel over a highway. In that instance,the box A receives the exposed film as it is fed from the camera whichforms a part of the recording apparatus.

In the drawings, I0 designates a substantially rectangular casing orcabinet which may be part of a camera apparatus (not shown). The rearwall i l of the casing is disposed adjacent the film exit of the cameraand has a horizontally disposed film slit [2 therein adjacent the topthereof through which the exposed portion of the film F passes forsubsequent entry into a removable depositary in the form of a box I3.The box I3 is insertable into the casing l0 through the open frontthereof, which open front is normally closed by a hinged door l4 whichswings on a vertical pivotal axis l5.

The box 13 is rectangular in cross section and is of a height to freelyslide in and out of the casing. The box I3 is of a width less than thewidth of the casing and is disposed close to that side of the casingopposite to which the door is hinged so as to provide a space betweenthe box and the adjacent wall of the casing to accommodate certainmechanism presently to be described. That side of the box [3 nearest theside wall of the casing is provided with a removable cover I6 for thebox is lightproof. The front end of the box I3 is provided with a handleI! to enable the convenient sliding of the box into and out of thecasing 10. The box i guided during its sliding movement by inwardlyextending ribs IS on the top and bottom of the casing which enterlongitudinal grooves I9 provided in the top and bottom walls of the box.

The inner end wall of the box I3 is Provided with a horizontal slit-likeopening 20 which registers with'the film slit l2 and through which thefilm F passes during its entry into the box. The walls of the opening 20are bevelled outwardly for guiding the film in its passage therethrough,The box [3 is limited in its inward sliding movement by stops 2! on thecasing ill with which it engages. The handle I! extends a predetermineddistance from the front end of the box 13 so that when the door I4 isclosed the box is firmly in engagement with the stops 2|. Suitable catchmeans may be provided for securing the door M in closed position.

An actuating rod section 22 has its outer end pivotally connected at 211to an arm 24 extending from the inner side of the door adjacent thehinge it, while the inner end thereof is slidably supported upon a lug25 extending inwardly from the adjacent wall of the casing it. Pivotallyconnected to the inner end of the rod section ZZ at 26on a verticalpivotal axis is an inner rod section 21 which slidably extends throughalined slots 28 provided in inwardly extending ears 29 formed integralwith a flat member 33 secured to the adjacent side wall of the casing.The slots 28 are of a width to permit sliding movement of the rodsection 21 without lateral movement and are of a height greater thanthat of the rod section to permit of a limited up and down movement fora reason to be hereinafter explained. When the door I4 is closed, thefree end of the rod section 21 is disposed adjacent the read end of thecasing II] as best illustrated in Figures 1 and 5.

The inner rod section 21 is movable from a lower level to a higher levelupon opening of the door I4, and thence from the higher level back tothe lower level upon closing of the door. This function is obtained byproviding a lower groove 3| and an upper groove 32 in the exposed faceof the member 3|]. The front end of the groove 3! is connected to anintermediate portion of the groove 32 by an upwardly inclined groove 33normally closed at its top by a flap spring 34. The rear ends of thegrooves 3| and 32 are connected by a passage 35. Movable through thegrooves 3|, 32, 33 and passage 34 during each cycle of opening andclosing the door I4 is one end of a cross pin 36 which extendstransversely through the rod section 21 and is fixed thereto. When thedoor I4 is opened, the rod section 2? forward causing the pin 35 to moveforward on a horizontal plane until it reaches the inclined groove 33where it is cammed upwardly and forwardly and forcibly lifts the flap 34up and while still moving forward the pin enters the upper groove 33 andmoves to the front end thereof. The fla 34 has closed under its springtension and upon closing of the door I4 the rod section 2'! will sliderearwardly causing the pin 36 to move rearwardly in the upper groove 33until it reaches passage 35 where it drops by the level Of the groove 3|along with the rod section 21, thus the rod section like the pin 36moves from a low to a higher level when the door is opened andsubsequently returns to the low level when the door is closed.

Slidably mounted for vertical against the inside of the rear end wall I3is a guillotine knife 31, by vertical guide strips inner side of therear end wall. The upper cutting edge 33 of the knife is cut at aninclined angle from one side edge to the other and the knife is normallydisposed in its lower position with the cutting edge 39 disposed beneaththe film receiving opening 20. Contractile springs 4fl--43 have one oftheir ends fixed to the guide strips 38-3B while the other ends aresecured under tension to the knife 31. A lug 4| extends from the knifethrough a vertically elongated slot 42 in the rear end wall of the box.The lug 4| is engageable with the ends of the slot 42 for limiting theup and down sliding movements of the knife.

The inclined cutting edge 39 of the knife imparts a progressive cuttingof the film F from one edge to the other during a cutting operation, andwhen the knife is in raised position, the same covers the slot 20 toprevent the passage of light into box I3 when the box is withdrawn fromthe casing ID.

The knife 39 is set for cutting operation by releasable catch meanswhich holds the knife in a down position under the tension of thesprings 4ll-40. The releasable catch means inmovement of the box thesame being guided 38-38 secured to the will move n cludes a catch member43 pivoted to an adjacent strip as at 44. The upper end of the catchmember has a bill 45 extending through a slot in the strip 40 and whichengages in a notch 46 in the adjacent side edge of the knife. The tailend 41 of the catch member is-pressed against the adjacent wall of thebox by a spring 48, said tail end having an outwardly extending finger49 passing through a light screened opening in the side wall of the box.The finger 49 has a bevelled surface disposed in confronting relation tothe pin 35 when the pin is in its lowered rear position as shown inFigure 3. Thus as the pin 36 moves forward upon opening of the door I4,the pin will force the finger 49 inwardly causing the bill 45 of thecatch member to disengage the notch 45 and allowing the knife 3! toslide upwardly under the influence of the springs 4|J40, therebysevering the film F at its entrance to the box I3. In Figure 7, aportion F of an exposed film is shown within the box I3, the same havingbeen out from the film F beyond the opening 20.

When the box I3 is being slid into position within the casing, and theknife is in the release position, the inward movement thereof is limitedby a stop 5!} carried by the end wall of the casing. The stop 50 limitsthe upward movement of the knife just prior to the complete upwardmovement thereof so that in the event that the box is drawn slightlyforward, the knife will rise its remaining distance of travel at whichtime the lug 4| and stop 50 are on the same plane and the box isprevented from being returned to its fully inserted position within thecasing, thereby preventing the door I4 from being closed. Thus, awarning is given to an operator that the knife has not been set to itslower latched position, or if set, the same has been accidentallyreleased.

Means is also provided for preventing the insertion of the box I3 intooperative position within the casing should the operator fail to set theknife 31. Such means includes a rock lever 5| pivoted to the rear wallof the casing as at 52. One end of the rock lever 5! is free and is disposed in the path of upward movement of the lug 4| so as to be actuatedthereby when the knife 31 slides upward during a cutting operation. Theother end of the rock lever 5| is pivoted at 53 to the upper end of abar 54 slidably mounted in bearings 55 carried by the casing. Acontractile spring 56 acts to normally urge the bar upwardly and thefree end of the rock lever 5| downwardly. When the knife 3! is releasedand moves upwardly, the lu 4| engages and lifts the free end of the rocklever 5| causing the bar 54 to slide down against the action of thespring 56 where upon the lower end of the rod will be disposed in thepath of inward movement of the rod section 27 and prevent the door I4from being closed, although the box may be fully inserted into thecasing I0,

From the foregoing, it will be understood that should an operator slidein a box I3 with the knife 3'! set, then accidentally release the knifeby opening the door I4, he will be warned of such release by the factthat the door will not again close. Boxes may be made interchangeablewith all camera machines to facilitate rapid exchange of empty boxes forfilled boxes. Thus a rapid examination of the pictures taken by a cameraequipped with this invention may be made without encountering loadingdifficulties and uneconomical waste of film.

While I have shown and described what I consider to be the preferredembodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that such changesin construction and design as come within the scope of the appendedclaims may be resorted to if desired without departing from the spiritof my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l. A strip depository comprising a casing open at its front having astrip inlet in its rear wall, a hinged door at the open front of saidcasing, a strip receiving box slidable into and out of said casing, saidbox having a strip inlet in registration with the strip inlet in saidcasing, knife means within said box for cutting a strip of material atthe strip inlet thereof, catch means acting to hold the knife means in aset position for operation, and means operable upon the initial openinmovement of the door for releasing the catch means to enable functioningof the knife means.

2. A strip depository comprising a casing open at its front having arear wall provided with a strip inlet, a hinged door closing the openfront of the casing, a strip receivingbox slidable into and out of thecasing through the open front thereof, said strip receiving box having arear wall provided with a strip aperture in registration with the stripinlet, a vertically reciprocable knife mounted on the inner side of therear wall of the box and movable past the strip aperture, spring meansacting to normally slide the knife past the strip aperture, catch meansfor holding the knife in a set position clear of the strip apertureagainst the action of the spring means, and means operable by theinitial opening movement of the door for releasing the catch means toenable the spring means to slide the knife to cutting position past thestrip aperture.

3. A strip depository as set forth in claim 2 including stop means forpreventing the full insertion of the strip receiving box into the casingwhen the knife is in released position.

4. A strip depository as set forth in claim 2 6 including means operableupon the movement of the knife to cutting position for preventing thefull closing of the door.

5. A strip depository comprising in combination a rectangular casingopen at its front having a rear wall provided with a strip inlet forreceiving the portion of a strip, a strip receiving box slidable intoand out of the casing through the open end thereof, a hinged door fornormally closing the open front of the casing, said casing having a rearwall provided with a strip aperture in registration with the stripinlet, a knife slidably mounted on the rear wall of the box on the innerside thereof, spring means acting to move the knife past the stripaperture, releasable catch means for holding the knife in a retractedset position against the action of the spring means, and means operableupon swinging movement of the door to open position for releasing thecatch means to enable the spring means to slide the knife to cuttingposition past the strip aperture and in tight sealing engagementtherewith.

6. A strip depository as set forth in claim 5 in which the meansoperable, upon swinging movement of the door to open position, includesa pin, which is forwardly slidable in the path of movement of the catchmeans upon opening of the door and rearwardly slidable out of the pathof movement of the catch means upon closing of the door.

'7. A strip depository comprising a casing open at its front having astrip inlet in its rear wall, a hinged door at the open front of saidcasing, a light-proof strip receiving box slidable into and out of saidcasing, said light-proof box having a strip inlet in registration withthe strip inlet in said casing, knife means within said box for cuttinga strip of material at the strip inlet thereof, catch means acting tohold the knife means in a set position for operation, and means operableupon the initial opening movement of the door for releasing the catchmeans to enable functioning of the knife means.

JOHN W. MoCUTCI-IEON.

